The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a thermal actuator and, more particularly, to a thermal actuator including fluid with high temperature stability.
Gas turbine engines are widely used in industrial and commercial operations. A typical gas turbine engine includes a compressor, one or more combustors and a turbine. The compressor imparts kinetic energy to the working fluid (e.g., air) to produce a compressed working fluid at a highly energized state. The compressed working fluid exits the compressor and flows to the combustors where it mixes with fuel and ignites to generate combustion gases having a high temperature and pressure. The combustion gases flow to the turbine where they expand to produce work. Consequently, the turbine is exposed to very high temperatures due to the combustion gases and, as a result, the various turbine components (such as the shroud assemblies, rotor assemblies, wheel space cavities, and the like) typically need to be cooled and/or supplied with purge air. Accordingly, there is a need to provide turbine cooling systems and methods.